Goodbye and Thank You
I’ve said a lot of goodbyes over the past few weeks–classmates, old friends, family, exes, and now you, my dear readers. (Yes, yes, say it ain’t so!)
I started this blog almost 5 years ago (wow) to document the process of becoming a doctor, write about health policy, explain medicine, and provide an outlet to process and reflect on the things that I experienced. By all possible measures, I’d say it was a success.
The further I got into medical school, the harder it was to remember or understand what it’s like to be a patient–in terms of the knowledge and the experience. It’s hard to remember what it’s like not to know what a drug does, or the pathophysiology of CHF, or when a patient is ready for discharge. I think this is one of the biggest challenges we have to overcome–becoming doctors by definition requires us to enter a different space than our patients, yet we still must communicate and explain without trying to over- or under-simplify.
And along the way, I guess another goal was to show people that doctors are simply fallible humans that are, in the vast majority, trying their best, but are prone to the same flaws and errors and mistakes that all of us are. It just sucks that our mistakes have much bigger consequences. I will always strive for perfection in my practice of medicine, but know I will never achieve it. I wish more patients would realize this.
Thanks for all the comments, support, criticism, and linkage over the past 5 years. This book of my life is over, but who knows, you may see me again. My goals right now are to hit residency with a running start, learn New York, meet friends, find some love along the way, and if I find that I still have time to blog, perhaps I’ll be back. It’s been a great 5 years!
(I’ll be moving the archives over to http://www.grahamazon.com/over/ in the next week or so.)
No no no, keep blogging Graham! You’re way more insightful and interesting than Grey’s Anatomy or House.
Just remember that you have fans, so if the ache to write publicly becomes too much, we’ll be waiting here for you right where you left us.
No Dont leave!! We will miss you!
Oh man… I keep losing favorite bloggers. This sucks.
I know residency will require lots of time as will NY, but if you can find a few minutes now and then, I will be thrilled to find a little (1) in my Bloglines saying you’ve come back.
Til then, fuggedaboudit and have a great time in the big apple.
I will miss your blog very much. I have enjoyed your writing. This has been a great example of what blogging can be. I hope New York is good to you.
Congrats on finishing! All the best!
I hope you come to love New York as much as I do.
Will be looking for your comeback as a resident blog.
Congrats!
Thank you for having been here! I have read your blog over about the last year. I have passed on your single payer stuff to conutless persons, sent a link to it to countless persons, and actually won “converts!”
I have deeply enjoyed coming here, reading, hearing your heart and mind speak.
Your patients will be fortunate, indeed, to have you as their Physician.
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An RN grateful that you chose to blog!
I am glad you continue to hold onto your humanity. That is all anyone can ask for. I am glad you realize that an error on the part of a resident can alter a family forever. My mom died as a result of a resident’s error. I never blamed him, he was learning and had no intent that day of causing harm to her. I would like to think that he never repeated that error and learned a lesson from that day. I wrote him a letter telling him so and often wonder if that event impacted him as much as it should have.
I have a feeling that you will be a very good physician, not only because of your intelligence but because of your heart. Like the other comments before, I hope you occasionally pop in and let us know how you are doing.
Wow, it feels like the end of an era. Thank you for the time you’ve taken to write this wonderfully informative and entertaining blog. I will miss being privy to the medical world behind the scenes. I wish you everthing you dream of and hope for with room for a few things you didn’t even know you wanted to come your way. Hope to see a periodic update.
Hey, all the best of luck to you as your begin in New York…never forget the human side you have shown, that is the side patients and families need to see as well. Hugs, you have come so far, never forget where you have been! Dianna
Ahhh! Don’t go! I’m a nursing student who just began clinical and discovered your blog last week. Must admit…I spent quiet a bit of time looking around, and really enjoyed your posts-
Best of luck to you!!!
The blogosphere won’t be the same without you. I hope you find a way to join us again! Your writing has been an inspiration to many, myself included!
See ya dude!! Gluck.
I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years now – it was featured in a newspaper here in Perth, Western Australia sometime in 2005…it’s been wonderful reading it and the best wishes for the future. Thanks.
I was hoping this post will not come around but here it is.
I loved reading your blog for the past two years. U have helped, pi@@ed off, enlightened ppl in several ways. U have been a significant blogger in the medical world over the past years.
Take care and be cool. U definitely helped me last year through some difficult times without knowing it. Goodluck. Enjoy residency over the next 3(EM is 3yrs right?)yrs. I’ll be in mine for seven years. Woot, woot!
Hey Graham, GL in the big city… While you might not blog (somehow I doubt that will last), I strongly encourage you to at least keep a journal (perhaps online… wait that would be a blog) esp in your intern year. Time will be very tight, but I wish that I would have recorded for posterity some of my experiences as an intern (From my very first official order…
VA nurse: Doctor, the pts potassium is low.
Me, a real doctor: OK, give him 40 milligrams of K.
Nurse: You mean 40 milliequivalents?
Me, a real doctor: Yes, yes I do.
or the guy who got his arm bitten off by an alligator, stemming the bleeding with his girlfriends bra, much to the surprise of the EMT who show up to a one armed man and a half naked hysterical young lady flagging them down)
For every story I remember, there are probably 10 more that I have forgotten.
Great times….
Good luck in New York. I enjoyed your commencement speech. It was thoughtful and entertaining. I completely believe in leaving school and starting over in a new city. The bay area is that for me.
we started med school at the same time and i’ve enjoyed growing into being a physician with you through your blog. please think about blogging in residency. Time will be at a premium, but med school is just the tip of the iceberg. Learning how to be a doctor continues long after you get the degree (as I’ve learned in my intern year). Good luck in New York.